Victoria Guzmán is the Nasars’ cook. On one hand, her character offers an example of female subservience to male dominance in the society presented in the novel. She had been seduced by Ibraham Nasar when she was younger, but once the affection ended, he hired her as a mere house servant. On the other hand, Victoria also shows defiance towards the social expectations of women’s sexual submission to men by protecting her daughter from being sexually exploited by Santiago Nasar.
Victoria is also known to have children fathered by many different lovers, revealing her sexual freedom. Victoria is one of the few characters in the novel that discusses Santiago with open dislike, calling him “a shit” (10) just like his father. She lies to both Placida Linero, as well as the narrator years later, about her knowledge of the murder plot before Santiago Nasar entered the kitchen for breakfast in the morning of his murder. Thus, she is one of many characters who simply let Santiago’s murder happen. Additionally, Victoria Guzmán’s violent gutting of the rabbits provides a foreshadowing of Santiago’s death.
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Significance of name in work
Victoria’s first name, which means ‘victorious,’ could be alluding to her triumph in keeping Santiago’s hands off of her daughter. Her last name, Guzmán, which means “good man,” is ironic because her neglect to warn Santiago about his foretold murder demonstrates she is not such a good person. It is also be interesting to note that Victoria’s opinion of Santiago Nasar, who is the victim of her neglect, is exactly the opposite of a “good man.”
Victoria is also known to have children fathered by many different lovers, revealing her sexual freedom. Victoria is one of the few characters in the novel that discusses Santiago with open dislike, calling him “a shit” (10) just like his father. She lies to both Placida Linero, as well as the narrator years later, about her knowledge of the murder plot before Santiago Nasar entered the kitchen for breakfast in the morning of his murder. Thus, she is one of many characters who simply let Santiago’s murder happen. Additionally, Victoria Guzmán’s violent gutting of the rabbits provides a foreshadowing of Santiago’s death.
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